Earlier this month, I celebrated one of my favorite holidays – the beginning of farmers market season!  What with the rising prices of oil and gas, and the popularity of books like Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and The Omnivore’s Dilemma, plenty of people are thinking more about buying local and organic.  That being said, sometimes farmers’ markets can be a daunting place, especially for newbie visitors.  There are sometimes strange fruits and vegetables, crowds of people you might not know, and masses of dogs and children. 

How do you navigate the market?  And how can you be sure you’re buying something you want?  In this article, I’ll take you on a guided tour through market day with some simple lessons about market etiquette and include questions you can pose to farmers to make sure you’re getting what you want.
 

Illustrations courtesy Chuck Groenink

Our first rule is simple:  don’t rush it.  Make sure you’ve got time to go to the market in the first place.  If you’ve only got 15 minutes to explore the place, you’re going to feel stressed out and hectic.  This isn’t what the market’s about – it’s a time to slow down, say hello to your neighbors, and pick out some lovely food.  It’s really hard to do that when you’re sprinting from booth to booth.

Secondly, think about what to bring with you.  First off, bring your own bag.  Putting all those tasty eco-friendly fruits and vegetables in a plastic bag makes your carbon footprint a little larger, and costs the farmer money as well.  Also, be sure to bring cash, especially small bills.  The flip side of this rule, of course, is to think about what to leave at home, especially in regards to our four-pawed friends.  If you’ve got an aggressive and/or hypersensitive dog, consider leaving him or her behind.  That said, if you do bring the pooch, remember to bring some bags in case Rex needs to heed the call of nature.  Nothing spoils the appetite like a mound of dog poop.

Thirdly, be respectful.  The foods you’re thinking of purchasing represent a lot of effort on behalf of quite a few people.  It’s considered somewhat rude to go poking and prodding produce to the point where it may bruise (Hint:  sniff the fruits and veggies instead.  Ripe items will smell more than their unripe counterparts.).

If you’ve got questions for the farmers, it may be best to go earlier in the morning, or wait until near closing time.  Most markets experience a “lunch rush,” and the people waiting in line behind you may get annoyed if you spend ten minutes chatting up the proprietors.     

Now that we’ve covered the ground rules of market day, let’s turn our attention to the fun part:  buying yummy food!  Usually, market stands will proudly display that their wares are organic, grass-fed, fair-trade, free range, etc. etc. etc.  But what if there are no adjectives at the booth?

There are plenty of product specific questions that I’ll address in later entries, but these ones will generally work in most situations.  Talking to the farmers can be kind of daunting, but most producers are proud of their wares, and should want to talk about it, if they’re approached correctly.  That being, said, keep rule number three in mind.  Don’t approach a farmer swamped with customers, and don’t use a snarky and accusatory tone of voice.

Ask the right questions.  By this, I mean to be open-ended.  Instead of saying, “Is this organic?” ask, “How was this raised/grown?”  Instead of saying, “Is your farm a mega-corporate operation?”  ask, “What’s your farm like?”  As we learned in my certification article, just because something isn’t labeled “organic” doesn’t mean the farmer isn’t using good practices, and just because something is organic doesn’t mean that it’s sustainable.

The easiest way to do find out more is to open with a compliment.  “Wow, these tomatoes are beautiful!  How were they grown?”  If the person selling the produce tells you something you’re not happy to hear, make a gracious exit, “Thanks for your time, I’m going to look around, maybe I’ll be back!”  If the vendor doesn’t know the answer, ask for a phone number or web address, and do some research that way.

The farmers market doesn’t have to be daunting or confusing.  Remember, people are there because they want to share their food or crafts with you.  If you bring a positive attitude, a reusable bag, and small bills to share with them, it’s a win-win situation for you, the environment, and the local economy.   


Find the farmers market near you in the green business directory.